Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Today’s Discussion: What Kind of Fires Do We Have What Kind of Fires Kill The Performance of Photoelectric and Ionization Smoke Alarms in Residential Fatal Fires WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms What If …. Car Airbags Deployed When You Hit Pot-Holes? WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015 Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms But Failed to Deploy in Serious Accidents..... 55% of the Time? WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms “A smoke detector that sounds approximately nineteen minutes after smoke reached its sensing chamber is like an airbag that does not deploy until nineteen minutes after a car accident.” -Judge David E. Schoenthaler, Mercer v. Pitway/BRK Brands (First Alert) WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015 Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms There Are Very REAL Differences in How Different Smoke Alarms Types Perform in Real World Fatal Fires WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms This is a REAL Problem. This Issue Directly Contributes to at Least 1,000 Fire Deaths Per Year – Probably Many More WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015 Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms This is an Old Problem. We Have Known That These Alarms Were Not Providing Adequate Protection Since the Early 1980's and Even Earlier. WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Yet, Government Agencies Are Only Just Beginning to Acknowledge the Problem WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015 Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms As Professional Property Inspectors, We Are Uniquely Positioned to Have a Very Significant Impact on Public Awareness and Safety. We Can Make a Difference! WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms “This issue has more impact on the life safety of your clients than just about anything. Actually, make that just plain anything.” Douglas Hansen Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Important: All the Data Used Comes From Reputable Sources All Data Is Published & Verifiable � NIST National Institute for Standards and Technology � NFPA National Fire Protection Association � CPSC Consumer Product Safety Commission � FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency � UL Underwriters Laboratory � Texas A&M University � NFA National Fire Administration � NCHS National Center for Health Statistics � NIFRS National Fire Incident Reporting System
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Death/Injury Statistics and the Data Sources: NFPA, Fire Loss Surveys and Various Study's Survey of 3,000 Fire Departments Nationally – Mostly Larger � NFIRS, National Fire Incident Reporting System Web Input System � Voluntary Participation – Currently About 18,960 Fire � Departments Participation Varies By State � NCHS, US Death Statistics Report National Records of Death Certificates � Cause of Death Classifications Limited � Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms None of the Data is Perfect They Are Estimates Only – Not Absolutes - Numbers Vary Between Each Source - Year to Year - Sometimes Significantly
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms � From a fire perspective, the US is a Third World Country � The NYC Fire Department responds to more calls per year than all fire departments in Japan � US Fire Death Rate per Million Population = 12.4* � Swiss Fire Death Rate per Million Population = 2.0* � Singapore Fire Death Rate per Million Population = 2.3* * Source: FEMA International Death Rate Trends 1979-2007, July 2011 WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015 Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Number of Households in The Us: 1960: 52 Million 1975: 72 Million 2013: 122 Million Source: US Census Bureau and www.Statisa.com
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Number of Households in The Us with Smoke Alarms: 1960: Almost Zero 1977: 18 Million/22% 2007: 111 Million/96% Source: NFPA, Smoke Alarms in US Fires 2011 Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Number of Households in The Us with Ionization Smoke Alarms: Approximately 90%-95% 106-112 Million Homes Source: Industry Sales Figures/Research Report Estimates
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Let's Look Closer at Residential Fires, Where They Start When They Start How They Start And The Consequences
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms US Home Fire Deaths and Rate Per 1,000 Source: NFPA Fire Loss 2013 WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015 Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms 1977-2011 Fire deaths decreased from 5,865 to 2,785 a decrease of 47% 1977-2011 The number of home fire incidents decreased of 51 % There is a decline death rate per 1,000 home fire of 7% for same period from 8.1 to 7.5 “Even though the number of home fires and home fire deaths declined similarly during the period, the death rate did not” Source: NFPA Fire Loss 2013 WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms � 1977: Fires: 5,865 / Deaths / 1,000: 8.1 � 2013: Fires: 2,740 / Deaths / 1,000: 7.5 � Variance in Deaths, Per 1,000 Over 1977-2013 High Approx 10 Low Approx 6.5 Source: NFPA Fire Loss 2013 WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015 Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Fires Are Characterized As Either Fast-Flame and Smoldering Fires WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms All Fires Do Not Carry The Same Risk Of Death WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015 Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Cooking/Fast Flame Fires Account for: 43% of Fires, 38% of Injuries and 16% of Deaths Smoldering Fires Account for: 28% of Fires, 29% of Injuries and 54% of Deaths Source: NFPA Fire Loss 2013 WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms For Every One Residential Fire Death Approximately Five People Are Injured � Many Injured Are Maimed/Scarred, Have Permanent Respiratory Damage, Etc � Injuries In Apartment Fires Are Higher – Roughly Nine to Ten Injuries Per Death � Overall, Injuries Believed Higher Due to Underreporting Source: NFPA Fire Loss 2009 WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015 Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms � Cooking Fires Generally Open Flame/Fast Flame Fires � Account For Largest Portion of Injuries but a Smaller Portion of Deaths � Injured Person Is Generally “Intimate” With Fire − Intimate = Present � Injuries Often Related to Suppressing Fire or Grease Etc � Some Argue That Smoke Alarms Offer No Protection Since You Don't Need It To Tell You That Your Stove Is On Fire If You Are Cooking WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms � Smoking/Heater/Electrical Related Fires = Smoldering Fires � Accounts For Largest Portion of Deaths and Smaller Portion of Injuries � Injured Person Is Generally Unaware of Fire � Injuries Related to Slow Exit, Smoke Inhalation, Return/Heroics, Etc WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015 Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Time of Day Matters 43% of Fires Occur Between 8 PM & 8 AM 64% of Fire Deaths Occur Between 8 PM & 8 AM Source: NFPA Home Structure Fires 2013 WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Only 2% of Fires Started in Upholstered Furniture Yet They Accounted For 1 Out of Every 5 Fire Deaths These Are Almost ALL Smoldering Fires Source: NFPA Home Structure Fires 2013 WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Fire Death Risk by State: National Average = 11/Million Per NCHS Relative Risk in 25 States Above National Average District of Columbia and Mississippi Highest at 2.5 Times Nat Ave Followed Closely By Alabama, Kansas and Oklahoma Risk 40% Below Nat Ave In: Idaho, Florida, Utah, New Jersey, California and Massachusetts Source: FEMA Fire Death Risk 2011 WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015
Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Between 1977 and 2011 Hundreds of Millions of Residential Smoke Alarms Were Installed in the US. In 1977, Around 22% of Homes Had At Least One Alarm By 2009 Around 96% of Homes Have At Least One Alarm Source: NFPA Fire Loss 2011/US Home Fires 2011 WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015 Deadly Differences Ionization vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Smoke Alarms WAHI Spring Conference March 14, 2015
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